The 40-year-old boss has previously held backroom positions at the likes of Liverpool, Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur but took the helm with the Blues in June 2024, and he’s thankful for the “really good education” he’s received from managers Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou.

He told Telegraph Sport: “I had a really good education and it’s only since I got this role that I’ve appreciated the journey I went on.

“I was working at big clubs as an assistant manager and seeing things really close up for years and years.

“I didn’t probably realise how well that prepared me, for all the different scenarios that you face as a manager. I’ve always slept pretty well, but I definitely don’t lose any sleep being a manager.”

Chris knows taking on the Championship will be a tough challenge but he’s confident in Birmingham’s capabilities.

He said: “Pressure is a privilege because if you’ve got that, it means you’re at a good club that’s trying to do something.

“We’re a sleeping giant and we’ve got to be the ones that wake it up.

“I knew Birmingham was a big club, but I’d never really seen it in full force. Just look at our support – last season there was a storm in Barnsley [Storm Darragh] and we had 5,000 fans there. That shows you what we’ve got here.”